Town Council - Regular Meeting

You have looked over your consent items.

Does anybody have any corrections or comments or anything on the consent items? I make ahead. I'll make a motion that the consent items um be approved as stated. Second. Motion made by Councilwoman um Dobin and seconded by Councilman Brown. All in favor?

All opposed. Okay, we have a special use permit public hearing. So, I'm opening the public hearing on the special use permit on 115 Gladstone.

What? I'm hearing an echo. It's coming through here, mayor. Okay. It's coming through our little monitor speakers. Oh, okay. I kept I kept hearing an echo. Okay. Anyone wishing to address the council on the public hearing for this property, please come forward, state your name, address,

the lady, Claudia Reed, and I live at 121 Gladstone Avenue, Gladstone. We've not been sworn in. And what? All witnesses have to be sworn in. Oh, okay. I'm sorry. I forgot that. Wait just a minute. So, Emily, you need to square her in. Okay. But what? The lady for that is running late. She went to the school first. Oh, okay. So, can we do the UDO first and then back up to the special use permit? Gabe, would that be okay?

Okay. Just hold your comments. Okay. So, we're going to the uh public hearing for the ordinance to amend the Wilson Mills Unified Development Ordinance. Does anyone have any questions on this? Anyone wishing to come forward and address the council on the amendment to adopt a revision of the unified development ordinance, please come forward and address council.

Excuse my ignorance, but do you have any Yeah, it was where did I miss that? We were approved some of the the changes with respect to multi-use properties and this will change this will approve them as they were presented to us. The changes. Yes.

I uh I I did have some questions on that. I don't have them in front of me though. That was the problem. I was one of my concerns was the fact that I I like the changes they made except for the the one which had to do with and I wish I had it in front of me again. Donald might be able to help me. It had to do with the um Yeah, thank you. No, it's Yeah, you have to go through it. It's okay. I'm close to it right here. It had to do with single family homes. I I apologize. I should have had this in front of me before, but I didn't think we were coming to this right away.

What was there a question that you had about the change that they had made? Yeah, it's a it's a density question and it was uh units per acre um on on certain ones, you know. I'm sorry. Uh, is there a way that if we approve it tonight, Wendy, that it can be brought up again? Council says yes. Yes. Yes. We would just have to readvertise it before we made any changes. So, we'd have to readvertise another hearing and go through all of that. And yes. All right. You know, it's going to be a losing. Was it Was it in article eight? She's putting it on screen.

Well, that's okay. I've got it right here, too. And I I can't I can't seem to find it. But you know what? I'm a realist. Um I I don't I don't care for a part of it, but I know a losing battle when I see it. So why waste time? Let's keep Let's move on. I've I've lost this battle for a number of years, and I'm not going to win it tonight. So let's move on. For clarity, if there's any changes to the revisions to the UDO and itself, um you don't have to bring this entire UDO revision back to council. You can only bring the change that you would like to make back to council if that Yeah, that helps a lot. I can do that next time.

All right, let's move on then. Thank you. Does anybody have any more questions or concerns about the We only have the revisions. I mean, the things that they were changing because it is about yay thick. So, it is Yeah. The other question I had, and I'll bring this up because we're going to discuss it next time, and that has to do with the open burning. It's the open burning, and it's it's a density for I forget which uh which program it was. So, we can we can move on, mayor, and I'll we'll bring it up next time and talk about it because I think council member Brown wants to discuss this, too. Okay.

Okay. So, we'll bring it up next time, Tim. Well, Tim, we'll talk about it and one of us will bring it up and go from there. So, okay. Do we need to just postpone this public hearing? You could also postpone or table the public hearing or you could um you could close the public hearing and just table the action on the UDO revisions. It's it's up to council. I just don't want to have to go through the whole thing of a public, you know, notification on a public hearing and all of that. If if we go ahead and approve it now and Mr. Brown and I come up next meeting with some changes, we can throw that in there without a public hearing. Is that correct?

No. No, that's not correct. You still have to notice it, but you wouldn't have to notice the entirety of this UDO revision. We can be spec we can be specific, right? Correct. Let's do that. You want to do that, Tim? Okay. So, let's do that. Yeah. I think I think we need to go ahead and pass this and then um the questions that I had um I I can get with me. But I but I think I I mean I think we go ahead and pass. I mean pass. Okay. Any more comments on the public hearing? Any comments from anyone?

If you do decide to pass it tonight, we want to remove articles 18 and 19 from that. those two articles, one is water supply waterershed with storm water and one is the flood plane prevention ordinance. And those two I feel like and Brian is in agreement with me on this that those need to be approved by the state before they're approved by the town. That way if they make changes, we won't have to come back and revisit it. Well, and it's my understanding that the state is in the process of redoing that. Isn't that right? We already have the changes here.

Oh, okay. Okay. Few changes we made, they still have to approve. Okay. So, Oh, okay. So, it' be premature for us to approve anything before we hear back from them. for 18 and 19 as far as article 18 and 19. Yes. Which is only for the water supply waterershed and the flood prevention ordinance. So we can we can motion to to approve it excluding article 18 and 19. Right. Right. Okay.

Unless you prefer to table it and maybe next month we could do all of it. But we we we if if we do that, we we have time to we have time to to do that. I mean, you know, Dave's got some mine mine are pretty simple and and and but I mean, if if other council members have have questions, I mean, and plus, if we with this uh 18 and 19, I mean, it might might be better off to just till next month. I mean, and just kill one bird, one stone rather than talking about this month, talking about next month. Yeah, our list is growing. So, why don't we just hold it off until next month?

Can we just table it table this public hearing? Yes, I would I would keep the public hearing open so you continue the public hearing until the next council meeting which will be is it is it appropriate if we table if we table it um if anybody I don't know if anybody's here for the UDO to speak on on that. Is it appropriate for them to to speak if they showed up tonight? I mean, or would they have to come back for the next meeting? They can speak until you continue it. They can speak at this. They still have to be sworn.

I mean, if the idea is if you want to suggest changes for the next meeting to the to the UDO, the idea of continuing the public hearing is so that they could also have some input on those revisions. Right. Right. Yeah. I mean, I just think it's a courtesy if somebody showed up to to voice of their opinion about about our our UDO changes that we allow them time to speak. They have to be sworn, right? Not for the public hearing. Not for the public hearing. So, do we have any people that want to talk about the UDO change? I don't I don't think anybody does anyone wish to address the the changes in the UDO, the unified development ordinance?

If not, Do I hear a motion that we table this public hearing? So moved. Or continue continue the public hearing. So moved. Second. Councilman McGowan made the motion to continue the public hearing on the unified development ordinance. Councilman Riley second it. All in favor? I.

All opposed. Okay. That will be continued until our May 18th meeting. Okay. Uh we will go back now to the special the public hearing for the special use permit. Okay. And anybody that's wishing to speak on that, please come forward and be sworn in. And if you all want to come at one time,

the Wendy, the lady in the back, but you need to be sworn in. I open the public hearing for the special use permit at 6:46. Anybody wishing to come forward and speak, please address council. Anybody

if you wish to come forward and speak to us in the public hearing on the special use permit for 115 Gladstone Loop. Okay. State your name and address. That's okay. State your name and your address. Claudia Reed 121 Gladstone Loop. Okay.

And I support this. I have some questions that uh you know because I'm sure some other questions um and I've been involved only involved in this submitting my approval last summer but there are some things that I am a little concerned about. Ma'am, could you speak into the mic so everybody can hear you?

I'm sorry. My apologies. Um, I was hoping that they would go first, that they could answer some of those questions without me having to bring it up, but uh, my my concern is the staff members. I'm sure that they're certified. I just want confirmation that they are. And, uh, when I signed that the the agreement or the approval, uh, back in June, one of the things I was told was that these children would never come outside, that they were on ventilators. and uh and that basically they were little children. And then I I read through the packets that was sent out and it turns out 18 and below which is pediatric patients. And uh one of the things that concerns me sever several things concern me but one thing is nowhere in that packet did uh I spent 34 years working at a children's hospital in North Florida. So I know that when children are on ventilators anything can happen at the moment. And uh especially if you have a power outage. I didn't see anything about a generator that was required. And if you've got uh infants or or children on ventilators, they're going to need that uh generator. We only have one EMS unit in in Wilson Mills and uh we're grateful for that, but sometimes they may get tied up, so there could be a delay in them getting to it to them. Um, also, are these children going to have visitors? Um, nothing was said about that. They talked about parking. Right now, we do have a problem with uh the HOA and various areas of the parking pro. We have a parking issue that's slowly starting to creep up. And uh, one of the main issues is that part people are

starting to park on the streets. And uh that could be a problem for our our uh emergency units. And also nowhere does it tell me um Miss Assan has never attempted to speak with me even though she's been there normally at night. And so who do we contact moving forward if this get when and if this gets approved? Who would be the point of contact? How many people how many uh staff members are there for coverage and how does that work? Um, will the children be outside? If if they're going to be outside, I would like to request that a fence be put up for the more for their safety than anything. And uh I think that's about it. Like I said, I do support what we can do for patients such as this. Everybody has an equal opportunity with this and I support that. I know that there's going to be neighbors that won't support it, but I'm willing to do that. But at the same time, I want to make sure we get good communication and feedback going forward.

Thank you. Now, now let's see if we can find somebody that can answer your question. Perfect. Thank you.

Would anyone else like to comment? Is there anybody that can answer these questions for us? Yeah. Is is the applicant here? Could Could you uh answer some questions? Um if you will uh what you tell your name? Yeah, state your name and address. My name is Mahassan. Um address is 115 Gladstone Loop. My my question is when when I was looking over that was um And and I'm I don't know the specifics on requirements, state requirements. Um but is it licensed through the state?

Yes, sir. It is. And um did I not see your license? Did you attach your license to the application? No, sir. We're still in the process of receiving the license. Um we're in the final stages actually. Um we received the approval for the construction site. Um the next step is to do the walkthrough and the interview, the initial interview for um the lure procedure and and um the the I don't remember the lady's name. Um but she said like do y'all have plans is first of all is there um going to be children with respirators?

Um as of right now, no. Um plans did deviate from when we spoke to Miss Claudia and that is something we would be more than happy to address with her everything all her concerns. Um we will not have anyone that's going to be on a ventilator um as of right now um because of state requirements. So we were not able to proceed with those plans. Um so right now it would be children under 18. Um they would not need um ventilators or any sort of machines that require generator. Um so that's number one. Um number two this um I think it was staffing

staffing. Yes. Um we will have about three st everyone will be certified based on u the state requirements. Um and we will have So, that's also something that we're still in the process as far as employment, but we will comply with um state regulations as and local regulations as well. Um, as far as staffing goes um and then the fence, I believe, is was one of the concerns. Are they going to be able to go outside? And if so, you know, you may need some fencing of some kind. Yes, ma'am. And that is something that we would work on if if um they do go outside. Um which

that's something you need to get with Wendy about for the fencing. But Yes, ma'am. But uh so you're going to have staff for the children? Yes, ma'am. According to the regulations of the state? Yes, ma'am. Whatever those regulations are, that's how many staff you will have per ch per child. Yes, ma'am. Okay. And none on ventilators? No, ma'am. How many how many children? How many children? Four children. And what's the what's the supervisory uh and child ratio one or um it's I don't will you ever have one supervisor for four children? Well, we have case managers for each child, but as far as um supervisors, it's the staff that's going to be required.

Yeah, I'm referring not I'm referring to on-site onsite, not case managers that are somewhere else in an office. I want to know how many supervisors that you have, how many people you have there to take care of the children, right? We would have about two to three. Um, and it's also, like I said, additional to the director here. Okay. Now, is the director living there? No, sir. Is there anyone living there full-time other than the children? No, sir. I'm sorry, I can't hear you, ma'am. It's against the state regulations to have anyone living there besides the residents. We're going to have shifts. We're going to have shifts uh 24 hours. Okay. Like 8 to 8, then 8 to 8. Yeah. Okay. Will you have There will always be a staff person.

Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. We're on the floor living there. Will there be any pets? No. Is there any special medical equipment that our EMS folks should be aware of? No. That you have? No. Do do your children require any special medical equipment that that our EMS people should have on site? No. Would they be visitors coming? No, no. I'm I'm getting my uh kids through uh Alliance Health. They won't be have any parents. I'm the I'm the one who's going to be taking care of them. Okay. So, there won't there won't be any parking issues because it'll just be the staff that's going to There's no visitors, no families, nothing. Just me, just my car and the staff.

Are the Are the children placed there by court order or medical order? Or how are they placed there? um by but yeah mostly court order and um another thing u medical order yeah through alliance health which uh they gave us the uh support letter and they approved us for for so far are there other homes like this in the general area? Yeah, there is a foster home similar to in the same area where um I don't know is it in was it is it within Wilson's Mills? Yes. Yes. Yes, a foster home. Are we aware of this, Wendy? No. Foster homes do not have to come through us. Yeah. Through the county.

Okay. But you you you use the term foster home. So that's not really accurate, is it? No. What would you call this home? This home? It's a group home. It's a group home for children who don't have their um their through the government. So they don't have a home and they needs care they need a home to be taken care of. So, it's not foster home. It's a group home for children with mental disabilities. All right. And it'll be long term, correct? For the children unless they are discharged due to um court ordered or if they're um their they get if they can if they get uh approved to go.

Yeah. And if they get improved, you know, they they will be discharged. Yeah. And how are you all paid? by the government by Medicaid through medic by Medicaid through Medicaid through through Alliance Health Medicaid. Yes. Okay. You're going to be in charge of them. Yes, ma'am. We need you to state your name and your address. Okay. My name is Lena. L I N A. Last name is Hassan. E L H A S A N 115 Gladstone Loop. So 115. Okay. You Okay, I get it. I got it. Okay. So you're saying there will be no more than four? No, they already approved this for four the state. Yeah.

And and you're open obviously to inspection by whom? Not by us, but what government authority comes? It would be state and local. Um both state and local. You know how often they would come out? Yes. The state comes out annually and the um county comes out I believe every every quarter. Yeah. Quarterly. Every quarter. Do they give you notice of their arrival coming out or give you a time when they're coming out? And you're not Are you subject to surprise inspections at times? I think we do with the local. Yeah. With local. They can come out and surprise. Yes. With the county. With the county. Okay. Yeah. The county. They will surprise. Okay. Thank you.

You're welcome. So my only question is again um so you have been approved by the state or licensed by the state already. You all of that paperwork and all that approval is done. No sir. Um so we've been approved by the construction. So the first step is DHSR which is the construction they come through.

Yes. Um for four people we've been in the process for the last year. So a few steps. Um we um got approved by DHSR which then um proceeds with we they move us to um DHS. Um we're in the process of working with them. Um we need to do the initial interview and then a walk through and that's happening in the next two weeks. Um she's taking a a course. Yeah. And so so yeah and it's it's just formality at this point. All the paperwork's being presented. Okay. And we do have one approval from DHSR um for the full Yes. And alliance help and and if that if that number was to increase

it would it can't because of footage because of the square footage. Okay. Well, I'm just saying that if you added on at some point five years from now um I I I think we we we if we if we approve this I think we would need to approve it at the four that is on your your And if anything above that, it would have to come back to the council for for further approval. Is there any particular signage that you'll have out there indicating that it's a group home or will it look just like every other home?

It looks like just like every other home. Um, we got from we got approval from the uh home owner associations and we got approval from both neighbors on the sides and we have a sign up there. Everybody in the neighborhood sold out. Yeah. About today's meeting.

So, have y'all talked to any other neighbors? I know the lady that came before Yeah. The next door neighbor she was for it, but there was some people that was against it, right? No. Oh, there was nobody that was against it. We spoke to I was going to say we spoke to the neighbor to the right and left of us and then we spoke to home home homeowner association as well. Okay. And Wendy um your input on this.

Um I'll go through my application real quick which may answer some of these questions plus a few more you may have. Um it is in Crescent Mills. Um, bear with me y'all. I'm getting used to this new stuff. The relevant sections from the code is goal three to retain our character. Um, we're trying to preserve the small town appeal of Wilson's Meals while at the same time fostering a familyoriented community. Uh the property owner is requesting approval of a special use permit to allow the operation of a residential group home facility for children with disabilities. Proposed facility is intended to provide supervised long-term residential care and support services for children with disabilities and/or special needs. It would offer a safe, supportive, and structured living environment designed to meet the ongoing physical, emotional, and developmental needs of its residents. The recommendation to the town council will be based on the findings of fact presented below as well as staff analysis and planning board's recommendation. findings of fact that all applicable specific conditions as described in the town's code of ordinances pertaining to the proposed special use have been or will be satisfied. Statement by applicant. The proposed development is appropriately located within a zoning district that permits the intended use, is thoughtfully designed to meet all local building safety and accessibility standards, and will be operated in full compliance with

applicable regulations. Facilities layout, staffing and daily operations are planned to ensure safety, functionality and minimal impact on the surrounding community supporting supporting its suitability and alignment with public interest and planning requirements. The access roads or entrance and exit drives are or will be sufficient in size and property located to ensure automotive and pedestrian safety and convenience, traffic flow and control and access in case of fire or other emergency. Um

statement by the applicant. The proposed group home complies with all required regulations and standards outlined in the Wilson's Mills development ordinance, including zoning, safety, accessibility, and land use provisions. Additionally, the development adheres to all applicable state and federal regulations governing residential care facilities, ensuring the site is suitable, legally compliant, and appropriately designed to support the needs of its residents in a safe and supportive environment. Number three, off streetet parking, loading, refues, and other service areas are located to be safe, convenient, allow access in case of emergency, and to minimize economic glare, odor, and other impacts on adjoining properties in the general neighborhood. Statement by applicant. The proposed group home located, designed, and will be operated in a manner that will not substantially injure the value of adjoining or abing properties. The home is residential in scale and character maintaining compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood. Furthermore, it serves a vital public need by providing safe, supportive housing and care for vulnerable children, fulfilling a necessary community service that aligns with both public interest and social responsibility. Utilities, school, fire, police, and other necessary public and private facilities and services will be adequate to manage the proposed use. Statement by applicant. The proposed group home for disabled children will be in harmony with the surrounding area, maintaining a residential appearance and scale consistent with the character of the neighborhood. The development aligns with the town of Woodson's Mills general plans for land use by supporting

inclusive community-based residential care with appropriate zoning districts. It promotes the town's goals of providing diverse housing options and essential services while preserving the integrity of cohesion of the local community. Staff recommendation is for the approval of the special use permit as the applicant has met all conditions and has sufficiently addressed the findings of fact that the planning board recommendation. They heard the case on February 26th and they recommend approval of the special use permit for 115 Gladstone Loop. The options before the council tonight, approve, option to approve, option to approve with conditions. Three of the conditions I've already heard are add a fence prior to opening, no visitors, therefore there will be no parking on the street, and no more than four children in care at a time. And the third option is the option to deny. I can say that she has sent us copies of everything that she has sent to the state. Um, we have a copy of it all and She originally came to us last year very unprepared

and when the planning board sent her out, she did her homework and her due diligence and came back with us this time with everything plus some that they had asked for.

Any questions? Yeah, I I do have a question that I don't think anybody here that's been sworn in can answer um specifically, but I know there's somebody in the audience that can that's not sworn in. Can I ask a question of the fire department? All right. Come up and get sworn in. Marvin, would you come up and Is your chief here? No. Oh, the chief's here. There he is back behind you. Chief, could you come up for a second? Marvin passed on it. Well, while while chief's coming up, that was one of my things is um is is it needs to be chief or or or one of his his district or deputy chiefs needs to um make sure on on that end that medical and and fire end because I don't know that I mean y'all know more about

that's going to be my question. So, You swear to other Well, that's very easy. U I I have one question either either Chief or or or Marvin, having worked a few years for a 911 uh system elsewhere. I know that when certain uh homes like this had emergencies that it was notated on the 911 uh forms so that when the EMS or fire comes out there, they know to expect up to perhaps four wheelchairbound children is will that be done and do you guys have that capability?

Could you through the microphone there, Marvin? Yes, sir. They have to do it themselves. Yes, I I recognize that. But there is the capability for them to do that. They're allowed to. Okay, that's all I needed. I told you it was easy. Thank you. Yeah, it is easy. They do it uh and they refresh it every six months through uh Johnson County 911. So, as they give us the information for the whether we're going for a structure, fire, or a medical event, all of their CAD information that's in the in the system, right, comes up in our apparatus. So we see all out of curiosity, I I know you guys go out to commercial establishments regularly and do quick walkthroughs and things like that. Will you be doing that with these folks just walking coming out and knocking on the door? Yeah,

as long as they allow us to, we'll get out. Okay. So, we have a couple of questions for them then. I'm I'm through with you guys. Thank you very much. Thank you. I would um I would like to put a condition that uh they communicate with uh our fire department. fire department or emergency management. Um, I think it's both. Because that's that's that's that's very important. Um, that they know, you know, if they get a call or a house fire there that they're going to need more than maybe one or two ambulances.

Yeah. We'd like we would like to hear that from you so it goes on record. Yes. that you will as soon as that you're licensed and ready to open the doors that you will have already notified um Johnson County 911 emergency communications of who you are and what's in the house and what you may need. Yes. And then confirm that the fire department has that. And please also confirm that when they come out and knock on your door, there won't be any problem. They can send somebody and walk them through. Yes, I confirm that. I'm happy with that. Yeah. Okay. And I already have my um approval from the the fire department already. Okay. Yeah. And they just want to make sure come back. We just want to make sure that if you put in a call at 911 when you pop up on the screen, it'll have a little note there.

Yes. Okay. I'm happy with that. Then just for the council's awareness, any conditions that are pro by proposed by council have to be agreed to by the applicant in order to be imposed. I think that's what I'm doing now. Am I? Yeah. Trying. That's why I was It was It was a nice uh segue. Thank you. Yeah. Um and and and my other one is my other condition if they agree to it to these conditions would be that they're that that this only takes effect if everybody if all the approval is done. If it if they don't if they don't get approval it it it null and void.

Okay. Well, mayor and I have any other questions. Go ahead, Wendy. Another condition that I was reminded the planning board had asked for was if they get three substantiated complaints. Substantiated means if they get if someone complains on them and the state or the county comes out and says, "Yep, that happened. Three complaints and the special use permit would be revoked." That sounds fair enough to me. So Wendy, are you going to look for option one or two? If we do option two, we have to

Okay. So, mayor, I'll make a motion uh to approve u I make Hang on. Go ahead. They need to wait. We got to close the public hearing first. All right. So, go ahead. Well, do do we need to read out those conditions for them? We we will right now at before the the vote is finalized once discussion is finished. If you agree on conditions, they do have to agree to each of the conditions. Okay. Now, any more comments on the public hearing?

Okay. I'm closing the public hearing at 7:12. Now, we need a motion to approve with the conditions that have been listed. And can we get um I would suggest once you've heard from everybody and all the questions have been asked, you have discussion about conditions that you want to impose and while while they're still sworn and the hearing's open that you you get their agreement or not to the conditions. Okay. So, do we need Wendy to read the conditions that we're going to put? Yeah. Can you read one each one at a time to them and see if they're they're willing to to go along with us

and then we can we can just refer to that when we make our motion. We don't have to repeat it. Sure. Okay. Thank you. Adding the fence prior to opening. Um there will be no visitors, therefore no parking on the street. Wendy, move the microphone close to you. Yeah. So we can hear you better. No more than four children in the home at one time. Yes. Three substantiated complaints and the special use permit will be revoked. Yes.

Giving your information to Johnston County Emergency Management and Wilson Mills Fire Department regarding the special needs of each child. Yes. Okay. and only opening the home if approved by the state. Yes, this one. I think that was covered. I think I covered it. Okay. Now, we need a motion to approve the So, you have to close the hearing first. I did. I've already closed it. Yeah, I did. I would close it. Close it again. Okay. Now, it's close the public hearing.

All right. I make a motion to approve special use permit 03-2026 for parcel ID 17J as in Juliet 07043B is in Bravo to allow a license group home facility in town limits with the conditions as stated by Wendy. Second if you don't mind the attorney having his two cents. Um

get close to the microphone so everybody can hear you. if you don't mind um me asking you to to restate your motion and and only to ask to request that you indicate that you believe the applicant has met each of the standards required for approval of a special use permit as outlined in the packet has met and has met is that what asking because some of them we don't know yet, but that's I think that's adequately addressed with the conditions. Did they require this in law school?

All right, let's try it again. I make a motion to approve uh special use permit 03-2026 parcel ID 17J as in Juliet 07043B is in Bravo to allow a licensed uh group uh home group home facility in town limits with the understanding stop looking at me I'm trying to remember uh and wait a minute under the following conditions by the finding that

all the findings of fact are correct and will be adhered to and the special requirements that have been placed upon them by this town council will be adhered to. You going to buy that? Thank you. Okay, we have I'm going to put JD after my name. We have a motion. I second made by Councilman McGall and second by Councilman Brown. Any more discussion? All in favor? I. All opposed. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you.

Okay, we got one more public hearing, y'all. We got a public hearing to amend the charter and code of ordinance to change the form of government from mayor council to council mayor. Do we have an effective date for that or is this going to be immediate? It will be immediate. This is this is big folks. This is big.

Anybody wishing to come forward and address the council on this ordinance change to our former government, please come forward and state your name. Anybody on council that wishes to address this? And I will tell the people that council has been discussing this for some time. Um we understand that Wilts Mills is growing. We are not the small town that we once were. And because of that, um, we need to understand that our government has to change with that and to get it in line. And we have council has been discussing this for probably over a year now at different times and different uh, places trying to figure out if this is what we want. And I believe that we have all finally decided that this is the course of action that we need to take. If anybody has any comments, please come forward. This is this is a first for this is a big deal for Wilson's Mills. As long as Wilson's Mills has been a charter chartered within the state of North Carolina, we've been known as a mayor council uh form of government. And we've had a town administrator. Uh we've had a few town administrators, but the greatest one is sitting right here before us right now. And as she as the mayor indicated, we have we've discussed this for a long time now. And it means a lot to the town. It's nothing is really going to change that anyone is going to be able to notice right off the bat. Uh but it means a lot for our administrator to be now known as a town manager. and anyone that comes after Lyanna will be henceforth known as a town manager and that's very important for us. So if you have any any questions about it, let us let us know. It's additional

responsibilities to a degree on Lyanna, but other than that, we've we've pretty much given her all of the uh town manager responsibilities anyway. So it's it's a name change and it's just important for Wilson's Mills. Thank you. Does anyone wish to address? Anybody else have any comment?

Do you need a You need a motion for this, mayor? I need a motion, too. Well, since JC's not here and JC would be our our most senior town council member, um I don't know how I fall into that category right now, but may I make the motion, mayor? Yes, you may.

All right. See if I can do this, counselor, let me know. I'd like a I make a motion that we um where is it here? We approve an an ordinance amending uh the form of government of the town of Wilson's Mills uh from a mayor council to a council manager and we'd be henceforth known as a as a town manager Lyanna Worley. Second. Okay. Motion made by Councilman McGowan, seconded by Councilwoman Dobin. Any discussion? I just want to say it's an honor to be able to do that.

I do. All in favor? I I'm not going to ask for a post, but all opposed. Okay. Congratulations, Leah. I have the honor now.

That's I'm getting

move the microphone. phone. Mayor, Le, you pulled the microphone over. So, there you go.

I do solemnly swear that I will support do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States. So, help me God. Constitution of the United States. So help me God. I I do further solemnly and sincerely swear to further solemnly and sincerely swear that I will be faithful that I will be faithful and their true allegiance and their true allegiance to the state of North Carolina to the state of North Carolina and to the constitutional powers and authorities and to the constitutional powers and authorities which are or may be established which are or may be established for the government thereof. for the government thereof.

And that I will endeavor to support and that I will endeavor to support maintain and defend maintain and defend the Constitution of said state the Constitution of said state. Not inconsistence not inconsistent with the Constitution with the Constitution of the United States of the United States to the best of my knowledge and ability to the best of my knowledge and ability. I worry I do further swear do further swear that without prejudice that without prejudice I will honestly perform I will honestly perform the duties of town manager the duties of town manager of Wilson's North Carolina of Wilson Hills

according to the best of my skill according to the best of my skill and ability and ability according to law so

according to It's not over. Mayor Some of you may not know,

but this is a very important day. Lyanna has been working for the town of Wilson's Mills 20 years today.

There you go. Yeah. I remember the day she came in. I was working as a volunteer at the town at that time and everybody wanted to know how the where you pronounce her name. But we figured it out. I have a proclamation to read. Okay. Proclamation honoring the longtime service of Lyanna Worley to the town of Wilson's Mills. who as the town of Wilson Mills motto is where tradition meets progress and this community has only continued to grow since 1868 and epitomize the tradition of neighbor helping neighbor and whereas with the growth of our town has experienced it was necessary to obtain and maintain staff who have understood its mission and brought the highest caliber of professionalism. And whereas 20 years ago today, Wilson Mills employed Lyanna Worley, an experienced, energetic, and enthusiastic professional who would assist the town council in its goals and the community with its needs. And whereas Miss Worley's initial role would eventually expand to include human resources, town clerk, finance, and administrator. And whereas she represented Wilson Mills as town clerk with her active participating with the North Carolina Association of Municipal Clerks, eventually becoming its president in 2018 2019. And whereas she has continually exceeded all expectations set before her, always going the extra mile to serve our citizens, residents, and visitors. And whereas it is appropriate and fitting for our council to recognize a model public servant who has dedicated two decades of her career

to our community. Therefore, be it proclaimed that the town council of the town of Wilson's Mills, North Carolina, in recognition of Lyanna's Worley's commitment to Wilson's Mills does adopt this proclamation in honor of her many services of dedicating service to our community. Thank you. I think we had something else coming.

She doesn't She didn't want a plaque. She didn't want something just to hang around. So, we bought her a tree that she can plant and watch grow for the next 20 years.

I have a black phone, so I'm not going to touch it. But that's beautiful. Thank you very much. I'm not going to say a whole lot, but I do want to thank the council members who were here 20 years ago that decided to put their trust in me. And I appreciate everything that all of the council members who have been since then have done for me and with me with the town. And I'm just honored to have been a part of everything that we've had, all the changes that we've had going on here. And I'm just shocked. I'm I'm not usually this speechless, but

thank you very much. And I'm sorry I moved forward on the oath, but I knew it by heart because, you know, I've been doing them for 20 years. I don't know if y'all realize she kept going ahead of me.

Okay, y'all gonna have to give me a minute. I got to get my car turned around.

This surgery wasn't supposed to be until the end of the month, but the doctor decided to do it earlier, so I've got bear with it. Okay. Now, now we will have our first open forum for anybody that wishes to address town council to come forward and state your name, your address, and limit your comment to three minutes if you have anything you want to bring before council. Okay. Good evening. My name is Benny Cherry. I stay at 150 Carale Lane over in the new certification. Um my concern is um I was riding down the street the other day and I'm big on safety. We need some sidewalks down these streets bad, especially with uh West Smith Road out here. I almost saw two people get hit walking down the road. So, my thing is we need sidewalks here as soon as we can get them.

Well, I I will let you know that it is in our plan. They are on the maps to be put, but it will take time. Yes, I understand. We we understand the need for sidewalks. And I gota say I um started working for Wilson Mills Elementary School several years back and there was time I used can walk across the street to the JD store but now you got to take off running to get across the street. So true. I wish they would put a stoplight up. I know they waiting on so many so much to happen there but I wish they would put a stoplight up somewhere with the new school opening. You know we need something around here that's going to save our citizens life as well as

I can address that. We have talked with DOT, but that is also something you have to wait for DOT. Um, and we are Lyanna is in the process of talking to them and we are trying to address that to get them to understand that we need something there. Well, Benny, something's got to be done, but you know, a snail out outpaces DOT. I mean, it's a shame they got to wait for two or three deaths to happen before they do anything. But that mean well and and the bad thing about it is it's not going to be somebody in Raleigh that knows them. It's going to be us that knows them. Yeah. And and that's the reason that that that it's so important to this council for them to do something.

But I mean working for the fire department here for so many years. I done seen so much on that little corner right there long before all this stuff that's coming in now. West Mills has really grown over the years since I've been here. And I mean grown and still growing, you know. Thank God for the little small town. I enjoy living here. And while I'm up here, I'd like to say congratulations, Leanne, on your new promotion. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, buddy.

Anyone else? My name is uh Bobby Sheper. I live at 147 West Chase Drive in Ives Landing and I've lived here for 13 years now. I have also watched this place grow. I am a retired firefighter and uh doing retired things sitting in the garage, you know, watching that life go by. I noticed that the speed limit is not being maintained or not being uh adhered to in the development. Uh it's Amazon drivers, it's delivery drivers of all types. And uh we had a we had a meeting with the HOA and it was proposed to drop the speed limit down to 20 mph. And I was totally against it until I sat there and witnessed it more myself. That speed limit needs to be dropped because

what what subdivision is this? I landing. Landing. Okay. Like the gentleman said, it's going to take somebody getting hit and then something will get done about it. And what's what's the speed limit in there now? 25 miles an hour right now. And I actually got in the vehicle when I was totally against dropping it and I drove around the vehicle, drove around the subdivision at 20 miles an hour and I said to myself, "This is plenty fast enough." So I think it needs to be looked at. Thank you. Thank you.

Thanks, Bobby. Thank you for your concern. Anyone else? I'm Michelle Luciano and I'm at 63 West H Drive in Ives Landing and we I guess we've asked before but we are asking again. We some parts of our streets do not have final layer of pavement even though the neighborhood's been there for a while. So, we have some manholes that are up, so you have to dodge them to go around them and they're cracking around it um on a few of our streets.

And that's what what did you say it was? West Chase. West Chase. Yeah, I live on West Chase. So, Westchase has the manholes that are all up and they're starting to crack all around them, which is probably not good for the manhole, but we don't have our final layer of pavement on there, so it's it's just raised. So, That's an IV landing, too. Yes, that's I landing and and we kind of bump up into our driveways. So, eventually we're going to like crack our driveways also because we don't have that. They typically do that once the the buildout is complete. Yeah. And I do know like I don't know which are

they still they're not I knew that there were two different um developers in there because the first I don't know who died but one of the developers died and they had a new developer. So, I think something got lost in the final layer of pavement. I think that's something that you probably could get with Wendy on. Okay. Wendy can check on. Yeah. And it looks like it's I mean it's not every street, but it looks like somehow we got missed on part of Westchase. And if you go down wherever there's a manhole, they're all you have to do. You have to go around them. And we're just afraid we're going to, you know, hit something or somebody. We're going to be on the wrong side of the road. Yeah. I would definitely talk with Wendy and what what we can do.

Okay. Anyone else? Okay. I'm going to close the first open form at 7. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I did not see you. Please come forward. State your name and address.

Uh my name is Christopher Crawford. Uh 121 South Rose Hill Drive. Um I guess what what my concerns are you know old policy versus new. There's a lot of stuff like you know I've landed talking about things that's going on. So we have meeting with the HOA I come to these meetings uh get understanding from you all go back to the HO meetings. They're saying to get other information you know that I'm not understanding because I'm coming to these meetings trying to get understanding from you all. So like the parking uh you know parking on the road and I got information that uh cops going to start ticking people and possibly towing but that's what some I was told was not you know that wasn't in in their control. If you partner somebody's uh you know in front of somebody they can take care of that. So, I mean, it's always a lot of misinformation that that I'm getting, you know, versus HOA versus town like now that the road in the back is going to be opened up.

Hang on. Tell tell me what street you're on again. I'm on South Rose Hill Drive. Where is that? That's in uh East Hampton. My apologies. East Hampton. East Hampton. East Hampton. Yes. Um who said that that they didn't have any control over over that? Oh, no. Well, that last HOA the HOA said that the cops would start ticketing uh with people on the road versus uh you know to towing cars. The HOA told you that at the last meeting. Um and and that's something that that I I would recommend you talking to chief about. Um but it's it's you have to remember what the HOA tells you is not necessarily what our town ordinances are. Correct.

Oh yeah. And that's that's where the confusion as a man who reads a lot. We cannot um control the HOA ordinances or their rules and regulations. We have no control over them. Yes. We only have control what's in our ordinances and what's in our our police department rules. But are they town streets? Yes. Yeah. You have to remember that the Wilson's Mills ordinances supersede HOA. If if the two come into conflict like like streets, our town ordinances overrule whatever an HOA says about the streets. Those streets belong to Wilson's Mills, not the HOA.

So, so when you get a conflict like that, you need to come in and talk to Wendy or something like that or have the HOA rep come in and talk to Wendy and get it straight. Otherwise, it's just bad information going out throughout the

development. I I've talked to Wendy also that I think that's where, you know, a lot of the confusion comes in. Not not with Wendy. It's just that, you know, we're told a lot of different things. I I don't stay I stayed normally in the country. So I done this is my first time dealing with the town. I mean so I never dealt with it before. So it's just a lot of old stuff that we've like the lady said from Ice Landing when we got there like we were told a lot of different things was going to be fixed and never was fixed. And I realized that a lot of bad policies these houses were built because of things. Now they correcting them. So, like the lips on our our uh driving into our house, we told that was going to be fixed, that they were going to fix it. And hey, uh Smith Douglas came in, did their thing, and made their money and they left.

And there's a lot of issues there that was allowed to happen that we're now dealing with. So, like, you know, trying to get the stuff amended with the uh the lawn care, we told we have to keep that because of the ordinances and things like that. So, I I don't know. That's why I'm trying to get some understanding what I need to do versus get some understanding what's going on because I have no idea. Yeah. Just just remember HOAs are are a little bit funny like that. Sometimes you give you elect people to an office and they tend to overstep their bounds. Yes. And HOAs are not not the supreme as far as the town is concerned. We are. And then you have the county and you have the state. So when an HOA says this is the law, check it. Oh yeah. Always check it.

I've been reading it. You mean that that's where the confusion come in. But I am going to get with Wendy and I talked to the lady that and she's very What? There you go, Cynthia. She's very helpful. You're talking to the right people. That's that's the deal. You're talking to the right people. But do y'all have a lot of parking on the street out there? Oh, yeah. It's it's it's gotten better. Can Chief's fire truck uh or can can the Can the fire truck get down those streets with those cars on? No. On on my street? Yes. On that back street? No. I I mean I was on I was on the HOA before. Well, here's the reason I ask you that. Your assistant, thank you for coming and voicing that because I'm one I I may be the only one on this council, but I don't think we ought to park on the street. Yes, sir. I understand.

Because I want an ambulance to get to my mama if if she has to have it or a fire truck to get to your house if they need it. And I don't want them to have to take that big bumper and push a car out in the way. Oh, yeah. I agree. I don't want them to take time to do that. Yes. So I I hear your concern about parking on the street and I and I I hear it a lot in other places. So um thank you. Thank you for that. Yeah, man. I think with that too is like the way that like the policies are written. I talked to Wendy now they have to build houses with four car garage parking spaces. That don't help me. You see what I'm saying? So I have I have two I have two SUVs and pretty much you know I was told my car is not going to fit in the garage.

But the end of the day it's like hey don't you should park in your garage. I can't get in my garage. I bought this house and now it's like, hey, now it's your problem to fix. Well, now see now, now and what you're talking about there is HOA may say, well, you going you gonna have to get this car out of this yard. Yeah. In 30 days where our ordinance may give you that you may get three letters from from the town. Yeah. Before we could we would take action. But they may say, well, if you don't do it, I'm going to place a lean on your house. Yeah.

And they they have full right to have way too many too much authority in this state anyway. But we, you know, it if so, even though we have this ordinance and they say as a as a HOA, you have 30 days to move that or either we're going to put a lean on your house. We can't we can't override that as long as you're within our ordinances. But they can't override our ordinances. But if they want to do they can't supersede it, but if they want to enforce something more stringent than we we than we have, then they can. Um it's just like state and federal government. I got you. Um, you know, and I I I I look, I understand what you're saying. I hear it a lot, but thank you for voicing. Oh, thank you all.

Chief,

I've talked to him before. We've addressed some of the issue. I think part of the problem is there are some HOAs that handle the problem. you know, they they talk to their their people, they send letters out, and they kind of resolve the problem, you know, amongst themselves. That's the preference, and that's where some of the confusion is from the police department standpoint. We'd rather stay out of, you know, community issues like that, the parking, um, and let the HOA handle it if they can. Now, if they don't and it keeps being a problem, that's when we'll come in. But usually when they first come to us, we'll tell, you know, talk to the HOA and see if they can handle it just by sending out letters or flyers or whatever and trying to get their their people, you know, in order. Um, they've had a recurring problem over there, which it hasn't worked, you know, so that's why we got guess have to go to the next level. What we don't want to be in the business of is a police department ticketing and towing cars. You know, we can do it, but we'd rather not. Well, Chief, I don't know that you have time to and and that's an important issue for for them, but I don't know that we have enough staff. That's why we'd rather not be in the business of doing that even though we could but you know

I mean you know it's like you said and I appreciate that if it if it gets to be you know way out of control and and you have to step in or your department has to step in but you know that's that that's that's an issue like and speed limit you know it's that's that's a tough issue to enforce in a neighborhood because once you're you're out of neighborhood I mean you know I mean it's it's tough. Speeding is the same issue. Some neighborhoods have addressed it through HOA and it's worked. Others it doesn't work. Uh again, we don't want to be in the business of doing that, but we're on the verge of some communities actually having to go out there in their neighborhood writing tickets, you know, which you don't want to have to do that. People just trying to get to work.

Chief, I I understand it and u I was happened to be at the HOA meeting for Eyes Landing the other night and this came up and and and part of it I I fully understand. My office sits right there in my house, right on West Chase, and they fly through there. I've mentioned it before, you know, we have an officer come out every once in a while because I know they're required to go through the neighborhoods with with uh with some degree of frequency, but if they could come out and sit somewhere, and I know darn well you you tag a couple of people with warnings or whatever you want, the word will get around. And if they see them out there, the word will get around. And that's another way to slow them down. I mean, it's nice to be able to say, well, you know, they shouldn't do it and we have a speed limit, but I think I think a set of blue lights would would work a lot better in our case.

We also I mean, I I might add one last thing. We've also uh the perception of speeding in neighborhoods. Sometimes people's perception is a little bit different. Um, you think they're going faster than they really are. It's not like the open highway and we've sat right there and and monitored before. It looks like they're going faster than they are, but they really aren't. So, you know, it's it's a little bit harder in a neighborhood than it is in an open highway, especially when you're trying to use radar. Um, it's not it's not easy. That's what I've tried to tell them when they stopped me, but they don't ever believe. It looked like I was going faster than it was. If you'd leave earlier for this meeting, you wouldn't have that problem.

Does anyone else have anything to address, council? If not, I'm going to close the first open forum at 7:45 and we'll get on to regular business. The next item is me. Um I attended the mayor's meeting um this month and Lyanna and I went to um the detention center uh because the mayors met with the county representatives from the fire department addressing the new cost share for the fire departments. This does not necessarily affect our fire department and us because we're unique and um but they are doing some different things across the county with some different towns are trying to figure out what is the best way to do it. Um I sort of think what we've got is the best way but but um it was an interesting discussion. We there was a lot of good discussion from the the mayors and a lot of the people that were there. Some of the bigger towns are still trying to figure out what to do because their cost share is so much uh and it's something that they just cannot afford right now. So I will keep y'all informed if anything changed. The chief of the fire department and I have been talking and we're trying to stay in communication so that we are on the same page with this. So, if it does affect Wilson's Mills, we will know about it and we'll be ahead of it. So, um I I appreciate you being here and you're taking the time to to talk with me and to communicate the things that we're having to face. So, I appreciate that. And I think that's all I have. Miss Lyanna, it's it's your turn. And this is wrong.

Yeah. I was gonna say it says it says administrator, right? I'm making the change now. Okay. Lyanna Emily didn't want to be presumptuous. I know the first item that you have on your agenda under mine is the appointment of the North Carolina League of Municipalities voting delegate and alternate. You normally do choose this. It's normally just mayor and I that attend this, but this year you're all going. So, um during lunch the second day, you'll be at the business meeting and they request that each town send them who the voting delegate and alternate will be.

So, who do you want to represent? You okay? You mayor. Any objection? No, I don't have any object. I mean, it's done. Yeah. You know, you go I mean, you you know more about what's going on. I mean, I can go in there and vote for something crazy. I mean, I don't Yeah, we we know that. I don't even I mean I don't even know where to start. So I'd say so do you need to choose an alternative? Yeah, we need an alternative to somebody that Carolyn has always had interest in that and what that didn't work, did it? No, it didn't. All right. Well, who's who's normally the alternate? Lyanna.

Norally me, but since you're all elected officials, that that is normally because there is only one elected official going and as much as I appreciate that they would prefer for it to be an elected official. So, well, I mean, yeah, I'd like to see Doris. Yeah, I was going to say Doris if she would if she interested in be the alternate going and even the alternate can go with the with the Oh, you I'll be there. I know it. But everybody will be there. They just ask for a delegate and an alternate in case something happen between the police couldn't attend. They would still have somebody that the board has chosen to make the vote. So, is that like a separate meeting from what everybody else?

It'll be a business meeting during lunch. So, I don't I don't even know that they really agenda yet. I don't I haven't seen any items. We haven't gotten an agenda yet, but I think you sure you don't want to do it. It's fine. You do it. You do it. Okay. I want to take it from you. Okay. Miss Carol. Our delegate is going to be the mayor and Miss Carolyn is going to be our alternate. Does that is that a Okay. Okay. We need a motion to that. Do we? Yes, we do. Go ahead, Tim.

Um All right. I make a motion that uh let me get to my standby. I make a motion that we appoint our mayor and councilwoman Dobin. Mayor as as delegate, council uh Dobin as alternate for the NCL voting. Okay, I have a motion, a second. Motion made by Councilman Brown, seconded by Councilman Raleigh. All in favor? I

Any opposed? Okay, that second item that you have before you is a contract renewal for our town attorney legal services agreement. And in your packet, I included the email from attorney Dublon. This will be six years that he's been with us and the price hasn't gone up. So, it's time. Um we did include the draft new the new draft agreement and the existing current agreement that we have so that you could look at the differences. The main differences are in the price of course and then you said there was one other

yeah it was just a sort of an administrative change. The term is unchanged. It's three years automatic renewals but we did add langage standard agreement where we could change the rates without having to change the entire agreement. So for renewal periods, not saying that go up, but if we wanted in six years to increase the rates, we could we simplify notice that we would like to increase rates and so okay, not terminate the contract. We incorporate those rates.

Okay. So currently we're at 185 per hour for partners and 175 per hour for all others. The new agreement states 250 per hour for our principal attorney and then 225 per hour for any associate attorneys. And then the parallegal fees went from 75 to 125 an hour. Travel time and mileage is still the same. And then I think the only other difference is other expenses are charged at cost. And with the new agreement, this was not in the correct

with the new agreement, the the actual expenses will be charged at cost as well, but then there would also be a 10% administration fee added. And those are just um just court filings, depositions, phone charges, copies, which we we don't hardly ever in six years have we had any any of those fees. Yeah. To be honest, I'm I'd be a minimal to removing that if council desired. I I've actually not implemented I've had it in my agreement with some of my clients and I've actually not impose that fee. But what's that what's that fee for again? 10%. Yeah, the 10% admin fee. Yeah,

it sort of depends. Some some clients are where you know document heavy or you have litigation, you are incurring more administrative fees. I had that, you know, experience with Wilson's Mills, luckily. So, if if that creates any heartburn, I'd be willing to take that out. I think we can just leave it in there because you don't never know what might come up that we might need to. I'd also like to see, if you don't mind, um, paragraph in paragraph two, the second paragraph of paragraph 2, change board of commissioners to town council.

Yeah, I can change that for sure. That's all I had. And how often do we have we had to use an associate attorney? Right. I I thought whether or not to add that uh as a comment. I you haven't frequently. I don't think um I've built for an associate um maybe once or twice in in the six years. Just hadn't had the need because I've always just seen you right. I didn't know if it was like at the office or something that something that they had to I mean I didn't.

So sometimes depending on the issues um I might I might ask an associate to do some research and so that would show up. Um, oftentimes I do handle that directly just because I'm familiar with the issues. Um, you know, as the workload increases, you might see more of that showing up. Um, I don't want to do partner work and bill for partner work if it can be done by an associate. So, you know, if I do that is is generally because I think that's more cost effective to do it that way. Um, but same thing with parallegal uh time. I I don't think I've ever had a parallegal entry on a bill just because um you know this is not showing up to meetings and and reviewing contracts. I just don't you rely on parallegal help for that. But again, if you end up with a different situation if you're in in litigation or if we're doing a lot of document processing, you might see something like that show up.

Any more questions? So if you choose to approve the contract as it's written, you could do so tonight by vote. Okay. You choose to continue it. Can can we just do it to with between agreement between Collie Bridge and PA and the town of Wilson's Mills? Get it all done in one shot. Yes, sir. Okay. Okay. Then I make a motion that we approve the uh the legal services agreement between Collie Fiden, PA and the town of Wilson's Mills as I'll say as amended because we need to change that commissioners to council as amended. Second.

Councilman McGawan made a motion. Councilman Brown seconded. All in favor? I thank

just a couple of more things. Um, the League of Municipalities conference that we were just discussing is coming up in a couple weeks. So, I will be sending out some emails just as reminders of your schedules and just other logistics about checking in to your hotel and when we're going to stop or when we're going to leave to go out there. And then also a reminder for you and the public, you're you should have received invitations in the mail, but our open house for not only the new chambers and these the other area behind here, but the entire town hall. We're going to do the open house on May 11th. Is that open?

Six o'clock. Lyanna, yeah, we got invitations of that. Is that an invitationon thing or No, we wanted We wanted the council members, the former council members and any board committee members that we have to receive an invitation, but we we are going to put it on social media that the public is welcome to attend anyway. It's just kind of a floating. There's not going to be any kind of agenda other than maybe the mayor welcoming everybody in the beginning, but we'll have some light refreshments and give everybody a chance who who hasn't even seen the town hall portion of this building since we've been here

a chance to see. Yeah, there's no meeting associated with it whatsoever. Yes, sir. We did it on a night that was not a meeting. We have so much going on. So, we will have a quorum, so you will have to be on your P's and Q's. That's all I have. Mayor's got questions. Okay. Anybody have any questions for Under Town Manager? Is that your last agenda? Yes, sir. Okay. And now we have Connie. Okay. Connie has something to bring to

Good evening, Mayor and Council. you you have before you a request to approve a resolution to designate additional authorized signatory on the town of Wilson's Mills bank accounts. This is in order to comply with North Carolina General Statute 159-25B which states that all checks or drafts on an official depository shall be signed by the finance officer. So, um, KN&S Bank is holds all of our, uh, deposits right now, and so passing this resolution would allow myself to be added to those accounts in order to sign.

Does anyone have any questions for Connie? So, do we need to do we need to I mean, like the motion needs to be for Connie to be added. Is that the additional uh we need to approve the resolution. Approving the the actual resolution states who you're designating which is myself. Okay. So it's approving this resolution. Resolution. Well, I move to approve the resolution to designate additional authorized signator of the town of Wilson's Mills bank accounts. Second. Do we have to name Connie in that? No, because she's finally

she's on the resolution. Motion made by Councilman Brown, seconded by Councilwoman Dobin. Any more discussion? All in favor? I. All opposed? Okay. Mayor, I did want to add that um Attorney Herman texted me back and he is available now. So, if you do want to go ahead with the close session when we're done with everything else, you can go into session. The other item has been removed. Okay. At this time, we will open the second. How about council member comments?

Oh, I'm sorry. Okay, council member comments.

Take my thunder from me. You know, I have something to say. We're going to bring this up. We're going to bring this this item up um at the next meeting. And I've spoken with Wendy in depth about this. Um, and this has to do with uh the passing of Mr. Wilder and the celebration of uh of his life that was taking place last month, I believe, at the cemetery. Is that correct? I didn't personally know Mr. Wilder, but I'm sure, you know, everything that I've heard and everybody that's talked about him, he was a wonderful person. So, it was nice that there was a ceremony at the cemetery. What was not in agreement with me and I'm certainly not a big environmentalist quack by any stretch of the imagination. However, balloon releases uh Mayor Wendy's is going to confirm this with the state that the state of North Carolina has allowed uh municipalities to uh enact their own littering ordinances and balloon releases fall under that. I would like to see us, even though it's not going to make a big difference, but studies have shown that 40% of the balloons in this area, in this state that have been released, wind up in our waterways, be it the Noose River, the basins, the Capefar, and especially off the coast. And if you've seen the pictures of turtles and things like that, choking on balloons, choking on the strings, we don't need it. And I don't think Mr. Mr. Wilder would would approve of something like that even though it's done well and it's done in in his name and in his spirit. I I just I would like to see us do something regarding free free open balloon releases. Be it one balloon, 40 balloons or 100 balloons. Keep in mind that we are also right under the flight path of Johnston County Regional Airport, the third most active airport in the state

of North Carolina. As an aviator all of my life, yeah, I've seen balloons come close. It wouldn't hurt me in the aircraft I was flying, but we have considerable jet traffic now. Small personal business jet. Let me tell you, one of those balloons gets sucked into an engine when he's flying low level and at a low speed for landing or just after takeoff, it could be death. And we certainly don't want that to happen. So, I want us to just at least make an effort here and put it into our uh UDEO or whatever we have to do. No more balloon releases. Please get boxes and and and jars of bubbles and blow bubbles, you know, till the cows come home. No balloon releases. And certainly no um fire kites. I forget what they're called, but in uh in in Asia, they're they're cool and they light the candles and the they uh the kites go up in the sky at night and it's beautiful. It's also deadly considering the fact that we're in one of the worst droughts that we've ever had. I don't want to see any fires going up in the air. So, if we could do that, I'd really appreciate it. So, please think about it. Wendy will have all the details for us and we'll vote on this next meeting next uh next week or next month. next month is fine. But if you hear of anybody anticipating and looking forward to a balloon release, please educate them.

Okay, that's all I have. Thank you. Anyone else? I I will just Lyanna, do do we have we heard anything in the world from DOT on on on traffic? I mean, and let let me before you answer, let me say this. Is the Johnston County Board of Education, are they trying to help us with this what is going to be a quagmire in with three streets and the largest high school in the county? Do we have any updates at all or they just still thinking? Are you talking about the area at the new high school or fire department?

Well, anyone any either one you want to comment on? I' I'd be tickled to hear something positive about either one.

Well, I haven't been personally involved in any conversations about the roads over at the high school. I don't know if Wendy has or not, but the conversations about the intersection of Fire Department Road and Wilson's Mills Road is is kind of at a standstill because they they will not in any way, shape, or form approve a roundabout even if anybody wanted it, which I don't know that anybody does. Um, the other two options were a three-way stop or a stop light. The problem that that they're having with it is how the entrance and exit for JD's would be set up and DOT has concerns about that. The owner of the property, the new owner of JD's doesn't seem to have any issue with them putting a median in. And one of the things that they've talked about doing is cutting off how people turn in and out of JD's. They would have to come in one side, go out the other, right turn only, that kind of thing. They put a speed counter, is that what they're called? a speed counter at Fire Department Road to try to uh determine how much traffic was backing up all the way to the railroad because that was another issue, the safety of the traffic backing all the way up to the railroad, people getting stuck on the railroad, which you know, don't stop on a railroad. But that really didn't show them what they want. and they literally said to me, "There have been no fatalities." And that's exactly what Mr. Cherry pointed out when he came up was that it's a shame that we can't get anything done until they have the correct number of fatalities in order for them to change something. And it's sad. And the people that I talked to at our local office agree with the fact that that is how they usually make their decisions.

Can you find something out for me? I want to know. And I was on the fire department a long time, probably too long. I would love to know how many fatalities there was at Benson Road and Glenn Laurel Road that warrants a stoplight at that T intersection. I would love to know how many fatalities, Marvin, that y'all have responded to. If that's what we're going by, we're going to make it fair for everybody. I don't want to wait until one of my friends dies up here at this intersection trying to pull out just to go pick up a young if that's what they're going by. I would I don't know about the rest of the town council, but I would love to know how many fatalities was a Vincent Road and Glenn Laur Road that warrants putting a stoplight there where you every time I go by there's two cars there. Um let's play by the same rules.

They're not even a town. We are a town. So, can you can you ask them on behalf of Well, just I don't know if y'all agree or not, but on behalf of me

if if if if you want to say to council, but I'd love to know that if that's the rules we're playing by. Um, and I would love for Wendy if you could get with um, Chairman Andrews, Lyn Andrews, and maybe by by the next meeting um, just ask her how in the world are we going to traffic this place? What's the plan that we're getting a little anxious? No, no, no. Let back I'm getting a little anxious

because we it it's not just it it's it's a broad picture. We're we're talking about the T intersection at at Fire Department and and and and Wilson's Mills Road, but that's going to become twice as twice as bad when this school opens at half capacity and a thousand times worse

in two years when they're at full capacity. And we all know it takes a long time to build a road or to expand a road. So I we're getting to the point to where where we need some answers. And and I I I say it kind of jokingly, but but I'm not joking. If that's if if if that's the criteria, I would love to know you report back to this council how many fatalities warranted that stoplight because they've already told us fibs about about lighting on on I42 about traffic and stuff because I've seen them myself where they have lights and but and we've had a fatality. We've had a fatality. So, and if you could report back what what Chairman Andrews says because I'm I'm just I'm getting a little antsy about all this traffic around here and and I hadn't even heard anybody from the public speak up about it. Well, I will tell you,

but they're going to that um when I addressed it with the principal, the new principal of the high school, he said that DOT was going to repair the road in front of the school and that's it. Well, that didn't shock you, did it? No, but that's all I mean the washboard up here. That is all that's on their schedule to do for the school is to repair the road that's directly in front of the school which is Talton Farm Road and that is the only one they're looking at doing anything to it. Now that's what the principal told me about three weeks ago.

Well, and I've just I haven't addressed anything about the big big yellow school trucks that come out in and out of there every day. It's going to be a nightmare. I mean, you know, you got all these little kids on these school buses and I mean, it's it's it's something and I I don't I don't I'm just worried to death that that that people are going to somebody's going to die at that intersection. I mean, I' I've almost had wrecks multiple. Everybody in here that goes to the interstates probably already had Would Chair would uh do you think Representative Strickland or or Senator Sar would be able to shake the the the DOT bush up there for us? No, because they're not on that committee. I mean, they're I don't they're on

It has to be somebody on the transportation transportation committee up there. Um that's a very powerful committee in Raleigh. And Strickland and Strickland might be able to help us though. He's a friend of a friend or a friend of a congressman, whatever. Yeah, I see the hand. I just want to address that. It doesn't have to be Strickland. If Strickland knows somebody who's on the uh on that particular uh committee, maybe he can pull some strings for us. We got to get some action somewhere. Okay, I'll follow up. Thank you. You're welcome. We had somebody Well, let when we open the Do we have a second form? Yes, we do. Okay, hold on there, Cherry.

Okay, anybody else? Now I will open second public forum. State your name and address. Limit your comment three minutes.

Yes, my name is Benny Cherry. I still 150 car lane. Um, speaking of, you know, the trucks and buses and everything with the mirrors and everything sticking out, these roads are so narrow around here to if you look at them when you got a trash truck or something passing you. I drove school buses for years as well as trash trucks and everything else. I passed a school bus one time and the mirror hit and broke the mirror on the bus. That held them kids off from getting back and forth to school for hours before the police department or anybody else got there. So for them not to say that they don't want to widen roads or anything, but when you talking about it, the little narrow road they're talking about fixing the roads back there, they're not designed for these school buses and stuff right now. They're not designed for the fire truck to really go up and down them as much as they go up and down them. But think of it, look at the school bus and look at the traffic that we got now. Everything is bigger than what they had back in the days when they first started the roads. So therefore, you know, we got to start stepping up doing and saying something about doing these things. Start getting hard on DOT.

I mean, it's crazy. And speaking of driveways, my driveway is so narrow I can't get both my cars in there sometime. So there's a bunch of stuff we got to look at other than sitting here saying that we got to wait on this that and the other. Like you said, Brown, we got to start putting our foot down and doing stuff and things about it. And maybe and maybe Beanie, maybe it's time to for our citizens to to contact our our representatives and and and get people to ringing those phones and say, "Hey, we got to have some help." I agree. We we these are your state state maintained roads. We got to have help.

And we, you know, we've grown because of laws you've put in place. We we we if tees are crossed and eyes are dotted, we don't really have a choice but to go along with some of this growth. So, help us out with some roads. Exactly. Exactly. Like I said, the roads are too narrow for these big vehicles to travel up and down. Same ones I drove on when I was about 12. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.

Right. 725 power tan road. And speaking about them big trucks, I went to Flyers Plantation to get some medicine the other day with our hair cedar going in coming. I met and p I met and got behind 15 different dump trucks and like you said there, why? Okay, speaking about the roads, I go to a church in Goldsboro. We asked for a stoplight to be put out in front of our church. There's a shopping center here and we're here. We asked for a stoplight there. They said nobody had got killed her. That's what DOT said because the senators, the woman that went to the works with the senators, she asked about it. That's what they told. So they went as about as far as from here to on the other side of the shop over there and they put a stop light up. But they said that their thing is if nobody had got killed at these places that they didn't put up stoplights. There has been a fatality out that stoplight cuz don't know whether anybody remembers it way back. Miss Jenny Wilson's grandson got killed out there at that at that stop at I mean at that stop sign. And I don't know how many wrecks they had out there. So do we have to get out and do we have to route? Do we get need to get a paper and get everybody signed their name on that paper or what? I'm like y'all now because coming out the traffic's bad enough down power tan road

and I have never in my life and I'm getting old seen a company that can get out there and stop the traffic like Nova Nord. So we need to get out here and stop the traffic out here. Yeah. Well, that's the way it is. Yeah. But I but I do I mean I do think that that might be some information that um you know traffic stuff and and and calls and stuff as far as that at that intersection. Um and then there has been fatalities in this phase. Correct. For them to tell you that there hasn't been Yeah.

is is a it's like silly but just I thought stretches long. Okay. Anyone else wishing to address council?

Hi, my name is Lauren Dascos and I live at 130 South Rose Hill Drive in East Hampton subdivision with all of the traffic with ALA coming. Uh, ALA is already there. Amazon, our neighborhood is now expanding. I think it's maybe 200 houses that they're putting in behind us in with De Horton. I'm not sure exactly how many houses it is, but they're breaking through the road. So, now that road is now coming through. I haven't seen an influx of traffic just yet because I work from home. Um, but with that being said, when you're trying to make a U-turn to either come into our neighborhood when you're coming when you're heading west, you have to make a U-turn to to go home. If my son comes home, uh, Swift Creek, he has to make that U-turn. if he comes home as a disco road, he still has to make that left. Is there anything that's being done to implement maybe a light somewhere along that stretch from the 70 old 70 highway where Clayton Guns is compared to where that traffic light is by ALA because this times I'm sitting there for 11 minutes to make that left out of Sisco Road or I'm sitting there for seven, eight minutes to make the U-turn by Carolina Air to even come home. So, I'm just taking, you know, that something has to be done with all of the traffic to try to make it safer. You know, especially with the new high school coming in, there's going to be a lot of kids that are coming home that way to and, you know, it's just not safe because they're just you're closing your eyes hoping and praying that you don't get hit broadside.

Yeah, I understand what you're talking about. Traffic is terrible. Yeah. You know, like I tell him, I'm like, you know, come home, go past the exit and come, you know, loop around on the clover leaf and come home. you when I check his life 360 and he's coming home to disco road you know he's losing his truck for 48 hours he doesn't listen you know I don't want you know you know my husband's on the fire department my son's a junior and I I tell him I'm like they don't want to go to a call of one of their own and your father doesn't want to come and cut you his own son out of the car but you know he's just like mom it takes forever to go the other way but I'm just like I'd rather it take you five extra minutes than me running down the street well we we are trying to address it and and is trying to reach out,

right? Right. And that that blue barn that was on fire went quite back. What's going on with that? Because sometimes if I'm coming home at 1 2:00 in the morning from my parents house, there's a lot of undesirable situations going on. Wendy can address that some. Yeah, that property has been condemned and if you come by there and you see people there, you need to call that in to 911 so the sheriff's department can go out there.

Um, that is still in county territory. So, as a town, we can't tell them to tear it down. The fire department is aware of um potential squatters and my understanding is they are trying to get in touch with the owners now to address that. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? I closed the second open form at 8:19. We need to go

make a motion. We go into close session in accordance with uh North Carolina statute 143-318.11a as an atom parentheses 3 consult with attorney. Okay. Motion made to go into close session by Counciloman McGowan, seconded by Council Lley. All in favor? I'm sorry. Can you um add to invite Wendy into this close session? Please amend your motion. Yeah, I amend my motion to invite uh Wendy Olden to attend with us and anybody else. Just Wendy. Sorry, Brian.